The Chicago water department offers assistance to customers who are struggling to pay their water bills. This assistance comes in the form of financial assistance programs and payment plans. The goal is to help income-qualified customers pay their water bills and any outstanding balances to avoid having their water service shut off.
The Chicago water department does not have a set criteria for when they will shut off water service, but they are willing to work with low income and struggling families to try to find a solution to their arrearage. We will try our best not to disconnect you, but it is an option if necessary.
Details of Chicago water bill program
The water department will let people who are having a tough time and make a certain amount of money or less to pay a part of their water bill and set up a plan to pay the rest later.
This means that if you are eligible for one of these plans, you will have to keep your account up to date by paying any future bills on time. They need to keep up with changes and not fall behind again. If you have any bills that are unpaid and are 30 or more days late, you will be charged a fee of 1.25 percent of the balance. If the bill is 60 or more days late, you will be charged an additional 1.25 percent. For more information, please call 312-744-4426.
The water department provides not only direct financial assistance, but also information and referrals to other organizations throughout Chicago and Cook County. There are other organizations that can help residents with their water or other utility bills if they are unable to pay.
The Chicago Emergency Fund is another possible option. This organization provides money to low-income families and individuals that live in the city. There are two main ways that money is raised for charities and other non-profit organizations – through private donations and through grants from government agencies.
There is a high demand for help with water bills or sewage costs, and this demand has been increasing over the last few years. The emergency fund provides financial assistance to people in need. The non-profit has found that people are taking longer to find new jobs, or are not finding new jobs at all, compared to previous years. This is affecting more families and individuals than in the past.
Most individuals are not finding new employment quickly due to the economic challenges in Illinois and across the nation. What this is saying is that when someone gets a new job, the salary may be lower than their old job. The result is that they need help paying their water bills in the short term to avoid a shut off, and the emergency fund may be able to help. This short term, temporary assistance will help them from becoming homeless. This water bill assistance is only available for a short time, until people can get back on track.
Applying for financial aid for water bills in Chicago
The Chicago Emergency Fund is a program that provides assistance for a variety of expenses, not just limited to one type of bill. Other costs can be paid using cash grants in addition to water bill assistance. The center also encourages individuals to apply for help and to explore all local resources, including charities and non-profits across Chicago. For more information on this non-profit, or other suggestions on payment plans or agencies to call to get help with addressing a possible disconnection of water service, contact 312.379.0301.